Regret
by MunkenKirkland
Summary: Because in the end, they were left with nothing but regret and aching hearts. NorEng


1.

Arthur looked at his sweaty lover, smiling softly before pulling up the covers over him. The Norwegian was already asleep – exhausted after their lovemaking.

No one suspected that they were together, not even Alfred or Mathias. It was strange that no one saw the obvious chemistry, the similarities between them. Both were magic nations, both lived by the ocean and they both had to put up with slightly retarded, ridiculously childish friends.

During the Second World War – Arthur winced when he thought about it, the chaos, the pain – they had found comfort and hope in each other.

What had only been desperate sex slowly turned into something more, into soft kisses and warmth, a silent understanding of what the other felt whenever they glanced at each other.

There was no promises, no ties that kept them together, only the mutual love and trust that lovers share, the confessions their bodies make as they gasp, unnecessary words swallowed by greedy kisses and eager touch.

The moments they had together were short but blissful, both knowing their relation could end anytime.

Arthur secretly hoped it never would.

2.

"No, Arthur, no. It was wonderful, but now it has to end." Niels was pushing him away, thick accent colouring the words he used to cut Arthur out of his life.

The English nation did not understand, having pleaded, having cried. What went wrong? Where did they lose each other?

"Are you... Are you leaving?"

A sigh answered his question, a quick glance that even now as the Norwegian was leaving, told Arthur everything he needed to know. Niels really was leaving, their time together had ended.

Pushing away both pride and honour Arthur staggered forward, wetting his lips.

"...Please. We can... We could talk about it? Please."

A shake of Niels' head crushed his hope, and the door slammed shut as soon as the Nordic nation understood that Arthur did not have anything else to say.

_No more_, Arthur thought. Never again would he let someone close to him, because if this was the pain he had to face when they left it was simply not worth it.

Regret and sorrow mixed in blank green eyes.

There was nothing that could comfort him now.

3.

It was awkward, to say the least. Niels was frowning, trying to avoid a drinking game between his Danish boyfriend and the person he had left behind all those years ago. Arthur was rumoured to be grumpier and more alone than ever, preferring the safety he found at home with a bottle of rum.

It was as if their relation – if they could call it that – had never existed.

Arthur slammed a bottle down on the table, a dark smirk on his thin lips. Never again would he admit to being weak, especially not in front of the person who had broken his heart.

"C'mon, Demnark" He slurred. "The one who loses must do what th'other says."

The Dane grinned widely, lifting his own bottle. "I'm in."

Needless to say this would end in disaster because Mathias knew that Arthur was a heavy drinker, and that he would lose against him.

"Mathis, nei."

His warning flew right over said person's head though, and the two contestants started to drink.

Arthur chugged down his first bottle easily, starting on his next one instantly.

_Damn it all._

4.

Blue, red, flashing. The sound of wailing sirens pierced the horrified silence and drowned out Matthew's choked sobs as he tried to shake Arthur awake. The disaster was over them, spelled out by five and a half bottles of something that turned out to be pure liquor, not simple beer like they thought.

Niels was staring at the scene, eyes wide and disbelieving. How could no one have noticed? How could HE have missed it?

Of course Arthur would not die, but this shook all nations to the bone. It had been a long time since anyone was hurt this bad – the last time had been when Prussia was dissolved and Ludwig went berserk on the funeral.

They had been lovers, but most importantly, they had been friends. Niels had cut the bond between them with two words – "it's over" - and a slam of the door, forgetting all about the English nation, has fascination with Nordic myths and his cynical humour, his soft voice whenever Niels had a nightmare, his warm hands, his kisses, his –

_No._

Did he regret ending what they had, or?

5.

When Arthur came back Niels' words were hesitant, almost shy and he stumbled over his sentences and his expressions when he tried to start a conversation with Arthur because had the blond man been human he could have died, he could have been gone by now.

The thought scared him.

The fact that it scared him scared him even more, and the normally quiet and reserved Norwegian almost begged Arthur to look at him, to be alright and alive.

The answers given were polite but cold and the Englishman did not look up once.

Suddenly Niels regretted it, he regretted leaving and slamming the door in Arthur's face like that because it seemed like nothing he said would make things between them alright again.

Arthur shut him out, kept his distance and showed no sign of remembering the connection they once had.

From friends comforting each other, to lovers, to... What were they now? Enemies?

"I appreciate that a fellow nation cares for me, but I have a meeting to attend."

This time Niels was the one left behind, with a heart full of regrets.

((Hurr durr, this shit was harder to write than I expected. I absolutely adore this pairing, but there was no way I could make the ending happy. I made each paragraph exactly 185 words, and I sort of jumped between scenes. Not at all because I had no idea how to put it together nicely otherwise what are you talking about? The first two pieces are sort of from Arthur's POV, while the third is a mix of both, the last two are from Niels'. (Yes, that is my human name for Norway.) I'm not satisfied with all of this, but meh. I give up trying to rewrite it.))


End file.
